Canon 1000D versus Sony RX10 IV

The Canon EOS 1000D (called Canon XS in some regions) and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively,
in June 2008 and September 2017. The 1000D is a DSLR, while the RX10 IV is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (1000D) and an one-inch (RX10 IV) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 10.1 megapixel, whereas the Sony provides 20 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Canon 1000D vs Sony RX10 IV

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 1000D and the Sony RX10 IV. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter. If you prefer, you can also use the toggle button to switch to a comparison in percentage terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the 1000D – represents the basis or 100 percent across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Sony RX10 IV is somewhat larger (1 percent) than the Canon 1000D. It is noteworthy in this context that the RX10 IV is splash and dust-proof, while the 1000D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the RX10 IV has a lens build in,
whereas the 1000D is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can find an overview of optics for the 1000D and their specifications in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 1000D gets 500 shots out of its LP-E5 battery,
while the RX10 IV can take 400 images on a single charge of its NP-FW50 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, just click on the right or left
arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to
select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

Any camera purchase will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison: Canon 1000D vs Sony RX10 IV

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 1000D features an APS-C sensor and the Sony RX10 IV
an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the RX10 IV is 65 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 2.7. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the RX10 IV offers a higher
resolution of 20 megapixel, compared with 10.1 MP of the 1000D.
This megapixel advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel
(with a pixel pitch of 2.41μm versus 5.71μm for the 1000D). However, it should be noted that the RX10 IV is much more recent (by 9 years and 3 months) than the 1000D, and its sensor
will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The RX10 IV has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in relatively fast and reliable autofocus acquisition during video recording.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The RX10 IV indeed provides for movie recording, while the 1000D does not. The highest resolution format that the RX10 IV can use is 4K/30p.

Feature comparison: Canon 1000D vs Sony RX10 IV

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the RX10 IV has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), while the 1000D has an optical one.
Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information
into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 1000D and Sony RX10 IV along with similar information for a selection of comparators. If you need more detail on the specs, you can find comprehensive listings, for example, in the dpreview camera hub.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The RX10 IV
has a touchscreen, while the 1000D has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example,
for setting the focus point.

The reported shutter speed and shutter burst refer to the use of the mechanical shutter. In addition, the RX10 IV features
an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (rolling shutter) or
shooting under artificial light sources (flickering).

The RX10 IV is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony.
In contrast, the 1000D has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the 1000D was succeeded by the Canon 1100D.

Review summary: Canon 1000D vs Sony RX10 IV

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 1000D and the Sony RX10 IV? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 1000D:

Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.

More modern: Reflects 9 years and 3 months of technical progress since the 1000D launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the RX10 IV is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera.

1000D 05:17 RX10 IV

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the 1000D and the RX10 IV in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). You can find the full text of the reviews by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

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